Singulating arrangement and extraction from singulating meter

Abstract

A singulating meter apparatus comprising a seed disc operative to be rotated in a housing about a disc rotational axis with inner and outer rows of seed apertures defined by the seed disc. A singulator is arranged to protrude from an outer and inner side of both paths. A seed output port is operative to receive seeds from the seed apertures in the inner and outer aperture rows. In a single mode both rows are dispensed into a single seed conduit, and in a dual mode the seeds from each row are dispensed into individual conduits. A seed counting sensor is mounted on the seed output port counts the seeds passing through the seed output port in both the inner and outer seed conduits. A four row disc is also provided that as well has dual and single options.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A singulating meter apparatus comprising:
 a seed disc operative to be rotated in a housing about a disc rotational axis;   concentric first and second aperture rows of seed apertures defined by a seed side of the seed disc;   wherein the first aperture row is spaced along an outer first circular path with a first radius, the second aperture row is spaced along a second circular path with a second radius that is less than the first radius;   a first singulator arranged to protrude from an outer side of the first circular path partially into the seed apertures on the first aperture row as the seed disc rotates;   a second singulator arranged to protrude from an inner side of the second circular path partially into the seed apertures on the second aperture row as the seed disc rotates; and   a third singulator arranged to protrude from an inner side of the first circular path partially into the seed apertures on the first aperture row as the seed disc rotates and further arranged to protrude from an outer side of the second circular path partially into the seed apertures on the second aperture row as the seed disc rotates.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a concentric third aperture row of seed apertures defined by the seed disc and Spaced along a third circular path with a third radius that is less than the second radius; and 
 a fourth singulator arranged to protrude from an inner side of the third circular path partially into the seed apertures on the third aperture row as the seed disc rotates; 
 wherein the second singulator is further arranged to protrude from an outer side of the third circular path partially into the seed apertures on the third aperture row as the seed disc rotates. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a concentric fourth aperture row of seed apertures defined by the seed disc and spaced along a fourth circular path with a fourth radius that is less than the third radius; and 
 a fifth singulator arranged to protrude from an inner side of the fourth circular path partially into the seed apertures on the fourth aperture row as the seed disc rotates; 
 wherein the fourth singulator is further arranged to protrude from an outer side of the fourth circular path partially into the seed apertures on the fourth aperture row as the seed disc rotates. 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the singulators are mounted on a singulating assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the singulating assembly is biased toward the seed side of the seed disc. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the seed apertures on the first aperture row are on a plurality of equally spaced first radial lines and the seed apertures on the second aperture row are on a plurality of equally spaced second radial lines and the second radial lines are substantially midway between the first radial lines. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the singulators comprises at least two separate singulator portions. 
     
     
         8 . A singulating meter apparatus comprising:
 a housing and a two-row seed disc operative to be rotated inside the housing about a disc rotational axis;   concentric inner and outer aperture rows of seed apertures defined by a seed side of the two-row seed disc wherein the outer aperture row is spaced along an outer circular path with an outer radius, and the inner aperture row is spaced along an inner circular path with an inner radius that is less than the outer radius; and   a seed output port operative to receive seeds from the seed apertures in the inner and outer aperture rows;   wherein the seed output port is operative, when in a single mode, to dispense the seeds received from the inner and outer aperture rows into a single seed conduit defining a single flow path for seeds received from both the inner and outer aperture rows, and wherein the seed output port is operative, when in a dual mode, to dispense the seeds received from the seed apertures in the outer aperture row into an outer seed conduit, and is further operative when in the dual mode to dispense the seeds received from the seed apertures in the inner aperture row into an inner seed conduit.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  comprising a convertor operative to be inserted into the seed output port, the convertor defining inner and outer seed channels, and wherein when the seed output port is in the single mode, the convertor is removed and the single seed conduit is connected to the seed output port, and when the seed output port is in the dual mode the convertor is inserted into the seed output port and the inner and outer seed conduits are connected to the convertor. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein one of the inner and outer seed conduits is provided by the single seed conduit. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the single seed conduit is provided by one of the inner and outer seed conduits. 
     
     
         12 . A singulating meter apparatus comprising:
 a two-row seed disc operative to be rotated about a disc rotational axis;   concentric inner and outer aperture rows of seed apertures defined by a seed side of the two-row seed disc wherein the outer aperture row is spaced along an outer circular path with an outer radius, the inner aperture row is spaced along an inner circular path with an inner radius that is less than the outer radius;   a seed output port operative to dispense the seeds received from the seed apertures in the outer aperture row into an outer seed conduit, and to dispense the seeds received from the seed apertures in the inner aperture row into an inner seed conduit; and   a seed counting sensor operative to count the seeds passing through the seed output port to the inner and outer seed conduits.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the seed counting sensor records a time when each seed is counted. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the seed apertures on the inner aperture row are positioned relative to the seed apertures on the outer aperture row such that seeds in the inner and outer aperture rows alternate as the seeds pass through the seed counting sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the seed apertures on the inner aperture row are on a plurality equally spaced of inner radial lines and the seed apertures on the outer aperture row are on a plurality of equally spaced of outer radial lines and the outer radial lines are substantially midway between the inner radial lines such that seeds are dispensed alternately into the inner seed conduit and into the outer seed conduit. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the outer seed conduit and the inner seed conduit have a difference in length no greater than 24 inches.